China, U.S. Eye More Energy Cooperation

As the world's first and second largest energy consumers, China and the United States are facing serious common challenges. Energy security, tops their concerns...with this reality pushing the two countries to work together towards find solutions.

China's ambitions on clean energy show which way the wind is blowing.

This year has seen announcements almost every week about another big new farm like this one.

China is raising its wind generation capacity goal to as much as 150 gigawatts by 2020. That's five times the target set in 2005. And five times the current U.S. capacity.

China is already one of the biggest manufacturers of solar panels.

And waste-to-energy is a hot concept.

These achievements have not gone unnoticed.

Deborah Seligsohn, Senior Fellow World Resources Institute, said, "China has made tremendous progress ... rapid growth rate in the world."

And China isn't going it alone. Deborah Seligsohn's institute is working with Tsinghua University on guidelines for carbon dioxide emission capture and storage technology.

She says it's significant that this type of cooperation is frequent not only at the academic level, but also in the private sector.

Chinese scholars and insiders would agree, because one of their biggest problems is the lack of advanced technology or its high cost.

Yang Fuqiang, Director Global Climate Solutions, WWF, said, "Because renewable energy is a solution or a kind of instrument to cope with climate change, so this have to benefit other developing countries, we hope ... protect private sector's interests."

Yang Fuqiang says technology transfer so far is only on paper, and he wants to see more practical measures taking place.

But Seligsohn thinks core technology is just part of the challenges.

Deborah Seligsohn, Senior Fellow World Resources Institute, said, "You are facing rapid growth ... a lot need to work together."

Experts note there are many areas for cooperation, such as electric vehicles, electric power grids and energy efficiency.

"The Sino-US cooperation on energy is not only a win-win solution, but a serious promise to fight against climate change. President Obama's visit to China is widely seen as setting the tone for the upcoming Copenhagen summit. The whole world is hoping the efforts made by the two countries will pay off in terms of practical benefits."

(CCTV.com November 16, 2009)